1. Field of the Invention
Panel supporting structures, namely, an assembly for mechanically attaching insulating ceiling or wall panels to a structural support, such as a structural steel frame.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Large refrigerated and non-refrigerated rooms or buildings utilizing insulated, metal faced, tongue-in-groove, camlock and pin assembled roof and wall panels are required to meet the design criteria of most national and local building codes. These building codes require the building to be designed to effectively transmit external and internal forces, such as positive and negative wind forces, live and dead loads and seismic loads, with the total building system working to overcome or offset these required loads.
Also, with the type of panel described utilizing camlock and pin assemblies, access must be provided to the camlock in order to allow activation of the camlocks when erecting the panels around a steel structure frame.
In refrigerated rooms and buildings, maintaining complete insulation without requiring the complete penetration of the insulated panel or interfering with the gasketed panel joint is of the utmost importance in preserving the insulating efficiency of the panel systems.
Prior methods require the insulated panel to be through-bolted or screwed to the structural frame or require steel plates installed into the gasketed panel joints, with the steel plates attached to the steel structural frame by other structural components, such as angle or channel parts. Both methods create problems with the insulating efficiency of the panel, therefore, lower the overall insulating efficiency of the building.